City reps debate outdoor seating fee increases

By MIRANDA ZHANG Times Staff Writer

Published 2:00 am, Thursday, April 9, 2015

STAMFORD — As downtown businesses have set up tables, chairs and umbrellas for the outdoor seating season, city lawmakers have been debating about amending an ordinance to increase outdoor seating application fees.

The issue triggered a debate at a Thursday night regular meeting of Board of Representatives. The board voted against the ordinance going for a public hearing, which would give the mayor authority to set fees subject to a rejection by the board.

“This does give the Board of Representatives 60 days to reject it only, is the way I read it,” said city Rep. Mary Lisa Fedeli, R-17, who voted against the ordinance change. “And there’s not a provision in this for a public hearing, which is very different from how we review fees currently.”

The cost of a permit to use the sidewalk space in downtown from mid-April to November has remained flat at $100 since 1985. Now the city is pushing to raise the charge to $1 per square foot in 2015 and $2 per square foot in 2016 to on top of the former fee.

City Rep. John Zelinsky, a Democrat who represents the city’s downtown area, said he supports the increase.

“This ordinance allows approximately 29 restaurants downtown to use our city sidewalks and this ordinance has been in effect since 30 years ago,” Zelinsky said. “I understand that many of our restaurants have been using our city sidewalks have not been in business for the 30 years. However, many have been using the city sidewalks to increase their income or earnings over several years.”

Zelinsky argued that the restaurants would be able to make up the profit by benefiting from increasing customers through outdoor seating.

In March, the Downtown Special Services District, an organization that represents downtown business stakeholders, submitted a letter opposing the city’s original proposal of increasing the fee to $3 per square foot.

Sandy Goldstein, the district's president, argued that the proposed fees could "jeopardize the future" of a number of downtown cafes and restaurants.